


Silent Walls

by Tarlan



Series: Silent World [3]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-07-19
Updated: 2002-07-19
Packaged: 2017-10-20 13:27:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/213262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Working Girls</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silent Walls

Chris hated this subterfuge and ardently wished there was no need for it but the kind of relationship he had with Vin would not be acceptable in the eyes of most of the townspeople. Many of these folk had out come West recently, wanting to build a new life away from the poverty and overcrowding of the cities, searching for a little piece of land that they could call home. They wanted to raise livestock, crops and children under blue skies rather than beneath the layers of industrial smog spewed out from the many factories. They came with their women, unused to being without female companionship, and so they were unable to grasp the concept of men finding and taking pleasure in whatever form it came - male or female.

Of course, for Chris there was more to it than just that. Even though he had loved Sarah with all his heart, and had taken plenty of women to his bed, he had always preferred the company of men. There was no second-guessing with men, no wondering if a man was enjoying the coupling or, like a whore in a dime saloon, was just pretending to have a good time. A man came right out and asked for what he wanted; hand, mouth or ass, and then accepted what you offered, or he went on his way until he found someone who would give him what he wanted. Many a time there was hardly any reason to talk at all. You just walked off to some quiet place, did the deed, and then went your separate ways with no more than a secret smile of knowing crossing your face.

His first time with Vin had been like that, a few silent gestures, a short walk to a secluded place just beneath the top of the mesa, followed by the pleasure of touching and being touched.

Chris frowned as he stared into the amber liquid almost filling the whiskey bottle, almost ignoring the light touch of Lydia's hand on his forearm. It was not quite the truth. There had been a long lead up to that first time with Vin. The showdown in the town to save Nathan Jackson had proved Vin's worth as a fighter but, even without it, Chris would have found himself fluttering like a moth to Vin's flame, mesmerized by the depth of soul visible in those azure blue eyes. They had connected from that first glance, knowing each other more deeply in one second than many understood each other after a lifetime of friendship.

"Not him again."

Chris was drawn back to the present by her words, wondering if he had spoken Vin's name out loud, and then following her gaze as he tried to figure out what had caused her low murmur of disapproval. He saw Buck standing near JD at the bar but figured they were of no concern to Lydia. She stood up, murmuring something about coming back later, but he had lost interest in both her and her domestic problems, his gaze going back to studying the glints of light refracted through the amber liquid.

It was all Buck's fault that he was here at all. Buck had noticed how he had made no attempt to avail himself of the few women to be found in the town, even though he'd received plenty of half-veiled invitations into their beds. To ease Buck's suspicions he had made derogatory remarks about each and every one: too scrawny, too fat, too loud, and too shy.

A wry grin teased across his face as he recalled the exasperated look on Buck's face. Buck loved women. It didn't matter what shape or size, brunette, blond or redhead, white, Mexican or Indian, tall or short, buxom or sylph-like--even old or young to some degree. Of course, Buck had his preferences but he was not averse to taking his pleasure in whatever female flesh was available.

Chris was almost certain Buck had never looked beyond female companionship, and yet there was still that lingering doubt and he wondered if Buck had ever experimented outside the female form. Despite all the years of knowing Buck, he didn't really know him at all, could never share all of his secrets with him, and yet he felt he could tell Vin anything.

When Buck had told him about this tent city, set up by a man called Wick's using money and support from the local ranchers, Chris had been given little option but to come out here. He had chosen Lydia as she seemed a little more seasoned; a woman rather than a girl, who was not prone to mindless chatter. She did not seem to care that he had nothing much to say to her, even when they had sex, never calling her name nor giving her any cause to treat their relationship as anything other than business. That did not mean he was brusque with her. Whore or no, she was still a person deserving respect, so he always made sure to treat her well, and to ensure she gained some pleasure as well as money from their encounter.

All in all, he had been here three times, once a week, enough to allay Buck's suspicions regarding his over-friendly relationship with Vin, but three times too many for his own liking. Lydia was pleasing to the eye, pleasant of voice and softly curvaceous in all the right places for a woman, but she wasn't Vin. He did not want soft curves; he wanted hard planes of muscle, he wanted the slight rasp of beard against his belly as Vin deep-throated him, he wanted those warm, blue eyes connecting with his, owning him to the very soul.

The slight commotion near the bar drew him back again as Wicks looked balefully at one of his girls before turning back to try and appease a prospective client. Chris glanced across and caught sight of Buck, concerned about his reaction, but Buck's attention was focused elsewhere.

It was strange that, despite Buck's constant harping on about this place, this was the first time he had traveled out here and, judging from the position he was taking at the bar, there was more than just the ladies on his mind. Chris gave another small smile when he saw Buck heading off, following JD and a blond working girl, deciding that it had to be that Mother Hen instinct at play once more.

Lydia returned, running her hand through his hair in a way that made him miss Vin all the more. She whispered softly to him, wanting to know if he was ready to join her in the privacy of her tent but Chris was astute enough to notice her lack of enthusiasm.

"All right?"

Lydia sighed. "I'm fine. She's not."

He reached for the whiskey bottle and stood up, allowing her to loop her arm through his and guide him through the makeshift saloon even though he knew the way to her tent. It was time to finish this dance so he could return to his true partner.

They had not gone more than a few steps beyond the saloon before hearing a woman's scream of pain. Lydia rushed away, heading towards the large tent that Wicks used, reaching it just as the girl was backhanded and knocked to the floor outside. In his peripheral vision, Chris could see Buck's reaction, saw his friend charging across the open ground towards Wicks and lay a hard blow upon the man. Chris cussed under his breath and raced towards his horse, deciding this would be a good time to gain the advantage of height. By the time he was saddled up, two of Wicks' henchmen were holding Buck securely between them while Wicks laid several blows to Buck's midriff. Chris pulled out his rifle and shot once in the air, gaining everyone's attention immediately, and then pointed it at the fat belly of Wicks. A quick glance at the girl showed that she was badly injured and, with another soft curse, Chris made a decision he hoped he would not regret.

"Buck, we're leaving. Take her with us."

When he was certain that Wicks carried no weapon, and that JD was covering them, he let Buck hand up the injured girl.

"This ain't over."

There was no need to reply. Chris had met the nasty kind like Wicks before, and he knew the man would not rest until he had gained some form of satisfaction or revenge. It had nothing, and yet everything, to do with the injured girl. To Wicks she was probably little more than a worthless whore - but she was his property, and he would resent anyone taking that property from him as much as he resented the indignity of being beaten on his own ground.

Chris decided not to hang about. He turned his gelding and set her galloping back towards the town, barely conscious of the delicate woman who clung to him in pain and fear, caught up in his own thoughts of whether what he had just done was right or wrong.

****

Vin was leaning against one of the uprights outside the saloon when Chris, Buck and JD raced back into town, but he straightened quickly when he noticed the small figure in Chris's arms. A moment of doubt assailed him as he wondered if this was the one called Lydia, suddenly scared that Chris had brought her back as a companion rather than for some other reason, but he reined in that thought. As they drew closer he could see the woman's bruised jaw, and he could tell by the way she held herself that her ribs were hurting her too. Chris rode straight to where Nathan's clinic lay, lowering the woman into Buck's waiting arms but making no attempt to follow Buck and JD up to Nathan's. Instead, he urged his horse back towards the saloon, quickly dismounting and then, with just the smallest of nods in Vin's direction, he entered the saloon.

Vin understood that tilt of the head. He could read the need in the soft green eyes and he followed on behind, taking a seat opposite and accepting the shot of Red-eye that was slopped into a glass.

"Problem?"

"Might be."

"She one of Wicks' women?"

"Yep."

"He know you got her?"

"Yep... and to answer your next question... No. He ain't best pleased about it." Chris tipped back his head and swallowed the whiskey in one go, grimacing as the alcohol burned its way down to his gut. "Damn Buck for getting involved."

"You don't mean that, Cowboy."

"The hell I don't." Chris lowered his voice until only Vin could hear. "Didn't want to be in that place anyhow."

"Yeah. I know where you'd rather be", he breathed softly, already anticipating the reaction he would get to that particular low tone.

Those eyes widened, pupils growing until only a rim of green was left, and Vin chuckled, pleased he had broken through the anger and frustration once more. His own blood started to turn to liquid fire as he became mesmerized by the tip of a tongue peeking out to swipe a droplet of spilled whiskey from the soft lips. He watched as the eyes flicked towards the street, knowing what Chris wanted, and he wished it could be that simple, but disappearing into Chris's boarding room in the middle of the day would be real stupid, especially with this town's eagle-eyed newspaper editor.

He remembered the last two times when Chris had been to Wicks Town, how Chris had been almost desperate to get him into bed the moment he returned. On the first time, the near violence of their coupling had almost scared him, but then he had realized what was happening and had managed to soothe the worries filling Chris.

"You know I ain't bothered about them working girls. It ain't gonna chase me away. I know we got to keep what we have secret from the others, and you have to admit, your rides out to Wicks Town sure stopped Buck sniffing around all suspicious."

"Just hate having to build walls." Chris swept one hand through his hair. "You know I don't care what people say. They figure it out then we just move on. This is still Frontier, and frontier laws can be mightier than those wielded by the Judge."

"They ain't gonna figure anything out, Cowboy. Not if we keep them walls firm."

"When did you get so wise, Tanner?"

"Since I took me an older man," Vin smirked, and then gave Chris an unabashed grin as the tension slipped from his lover's face.

"Older man?"

Vin loved the devilment that came into those eyes when he ribbed Chris, but then the moment was lost as reality stepped back in through the door in the shape of Buck Wilmington.

"I'd best go check on that girl."

"Need company?"

"Yours? Always."

****

Within twenty minutes, Chris was back in the saloon, this time alone having asked Vin to go check the trail in case Wicks' men were following the wagon-load of girls that had decided to make their own bid for freedom. Part of him was wondering why he had ever agreed to stay in this bigoted little town with its 'holier than thou' attitude. He had thought Mary Travis might be different from the rest but, if anything, she was the worst because she was in a position to spread her poison far and wide using her newspaper. Lydia and those girls had taken a chance to free themselves of the life of whoring forced upon them by circumstances beyond their control, and all Mrs. Travis had to offer them was censure and disdain.

"Their kind."

He could see the sneer on her face, the coldness in her eyes as she talked down to those women as if they were no more than cockroaches infesting her precious town.

Chris wasn't certain what to expect when Buck sidled up to him while he sat contemplating a glass of whiskey. He listened, half-heartedly, as Buck started talking about the situation that had developed, not wanting to get involved any further. He had hated to slight Lydia out in the street, but what they had together in Wicks Town was pure business, nothing more.

"It's a problem, but you can handle it."

Chris had expected Buck's response but it still filled him with anger when it came, his own temper flaring as he turned on his friend.

"You started it, you finish it."

Of course, the moment Buck made his decision that the woman could stay, Mary Travis came through the saloon doors with eyes flashing and mouth twitching in anger, making her demands that the women be run out of town. To Chris, it was the final straw. When he had agreed to help keep out the _bad element_ during Judge Travis's thirty-day absence, he had assumed that meant the rowdy cattle herders and ranch hands that like to shoot up the town, not a bunch of scared women looking for a new life. He recalled Nora's words as she lay in Nathan's bed with her ribs all banged up and her face all bruised. Wicks had paid for all the girls' tickets out West with promises of finding them a good life in a promised land. They had already lost so much, had seen their dreams stripped away along with their clothing, their dignity and even their innocence, and he had no intention of causing them further misery.

"If they wanna stay, it's a free country. Their right."

Chris felt a moment of pleasure as he shoved a hefty dose of Mary Travis's own political standings back down her high and mighty throat. However, she was given no time for a rejoinder as Vin pushed through the batwing doors.

"Got company."

****

The tension in air had been thick enough to cut with a knife, and Vin caught Chris's eye as they passed. His hand reached out to touch his lover's forearm, offering him a little reassurance and support, only dropping away when Chris nodded in acceptance. Vin turned to the bar and ordered himself a coffee, pleased to have seen a lessening of the dark shadows in those green eyes.

He had only managed a few sips before Wick's men strut into the saloon, all spit and vinegar with their guns at the ready. Vin ignored them, not even flinching when he felt one of the men come up beside him and slam his fist down hard on the bar top.

"We're looking for some girls."

"Ain't we all."

Vin kept his face an impassive mask as he sipped slowly at his coffee, the cold fury that filled him almost dissolving as he considered the lie. He wondered what this man would think if he told him that he had no interest in any girls, that he had something far better going with a tall, handsome, and very male gunfighter.

"...but I'll tell you right now, the pickings are mighty slim." _Unless you take a shine to that tall, handsome gunfighter... but then I'd have to kill you_ , he added silently as the man turned and walked away.

Beyond the saloon, Vin could hear a fair amount of commotion as Wicks' men searched high and low for the missing girls. Eventually, he heard the distinct sound of men mounting up, ready to ride away. Vin pushed through the batwing doors and watched, the devil inside making him call out as they prepared to leave.

"No luck? Well, if you find one wandering around out there tell her she's welcome here."

Vin kept the smirk off his face until the riders had turned and were heading out of town.

He wandered over to the end of the walkway, leaned against the upright and pulled his battered harmonica from his shirt pocket, breathing into it to produce haunting yet tuneless notes.

Ten minutes passed before he felt that familiar presence behind him. He drew the harmonica away, a small smile playing over his lips as a hand dropped casually onto his shoulder. It seemed like forever since they had last touched, and he welcomed the possessiveness of that seemingly innocent caress. Vin could feel the pressure and warmth of those strong fingers, even through the thick layers of clothing, and his mind supplied memories of how those fingers felt upon his naked flesh. He wanted nothing more than to be able to lean into that half embrace, but he kept his face impassive as the soft voice whispered across his hearing, the gentle breath stirring his hair.

"We need a new plan."

Vin's smile broadened slightly but he sighed softly as the hand slipped away leaving him bereft of his lover's embrace. He had his own plans, and none of them had anything to do with women but, dutifully, he let his thoughts move on to the problem at hand.

****

"Damn. Don't know why that woman hates me so much."

"Don't reckon she does. Reckon it's the opposite."

Chris drew out a cheroot and lit it, inhaling deeply as he leaned back against the upright. He looked down at Vin who was still standing on the dusty street. Checking up from beneath the brim of his hat he could see Mary Travis staring out at him from her Printer's store window, and was almost grateful when Lydia decided to pay her a call.

"Opposite?"

"And I reckon I can see what she finds so attractive."

"You can?"

Chris found his bad mood evaporating as he looked down into the twinkling blue eyes, visions of his last time with Vin dancing through his head. It had been far too long since they found time to slip away together. He had been hoping to ride out with Vin this afternoon, maybe go down to the pond for a little skinny-dipping. He found himself grinning at the thought of Vin shucking his clothes and getting into the water.

"Wouldn't get yourself all worked up, Pard. Not with them tight pants... or you might get more than Mrs. Travis panting after you."

Chris gave Vin a sour look but he couldn't hold it, letting it fall into a soft smile.

"We got ourselves a plan yet?"

"Yep. Gonna need a wagon, and a team of horses to pull it."

"What else?"

"Some women's clothes. It's a kind of spin on that trick we used at the Seminole village."

Chris couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he visualized Vin's idea, seeing a wagon full of mannequins racing towards the edge of the mesa.

"Gonna need a driver?"

"Reckon I'll take that job."

"Now, hold on, Vin. That's going to be one hell of a ride."

"And I'm the best man for it. Josiah's too old, JD's too young. Nathan's needed to take care of that sick girl. Leaves you, me and Buck."

"Then it's going to be Buck or me."

"You're gonna be needed to face down Wicks. He ain't gonna be believing anything unless you're standing there right in front of him."

"Then Buck."

"Got plans for Buck."

"Dammit, Vin."

"Ain't arguing over this no more, Larabee. It's the way it's got to be. So, do you wanna keep fighting or do wanna go riding out with me to check the lay of the land? Can promise you one hell of a ride."

"You sure have a way with words, Vin."

****

Having already informed the others of Vin's plan, and seen it agreed upon, no one was surprised when Vin said he wanted to scout the trail to look for the best turn-off point. It made sense to check the lay of the land when proposing to do something so dangerous as driving a wagon off the edge of a cliff. And no one seemed too concerned when Chris offered to accompany him, figuring that Vin would want someone there to discuss options, and who better than Chris. Ezra was far too busy trying to educate the women, Nathan had his patient to attend to and JD had a town to run for, until Judge Travis said otherwise, he still held the title of Sheriff and was responsible for all the extra duties that came with it.

Buck had made plans for the evening with one of the few single women in the town, and had little interest in getting all sweaty and dirty riding out on the trail, which just left Josiah.

"You can count me out, boys. Got plenty to do here in town... unless you need..."

"Nope. Reckon Vin and I can handle it, Josiah."

"Reckon you can."

They rode out a fair way from the town, following the path Vin had proposed, checking along the mesa edge to determine which would be the best place for the wagon to go off. It didn't take too long before Vin was certain he had the distances firmly set in his mind, not wanting to misjudge and end up taking the long drop with the wagon.

With Chris following his lead, Vin urged his horse off along the mesa edge until he came to a seldom-used trail that led down onto the plain far below. After fifteen minutes they came to a wide shelf that had not been visible from above, concealed as it was by an overhang. Over the centuries, the wind had cut even further into the rock, forming a large shallow hole that was almost a cave.

Vin stepped down from his horse, tied him off and then started unbuckling the saddle and sliding it off his horse's back. He felt a tingle of excitement stir in his blood as he heard Chris unsaddle his own horse before spreading out his bedroll and settling down upon it. Vin began to strip off, first his heavy jacket and then he nudged off his boots, one at a time. He dropped the braces from his shoulders, leaving his pants hanging loose over his hips and started to tease the buttons open on his shirt. The lack of identical sounds from his partner gradually seeped through and Vin gazed down at the still fully clad man.

"Thought we was going bareback riding, Larabee."

"Figured I'd just lie here and admire the view for a while. Though I see the view has stopped co-operating."

"Ain't no saloon gal doing a show."

"Certainly not any saloon girl I've ever seen."

"Dammit, Larabee. Get them clothes off. You know we ain't got all day."

Vin closed his eyes as the devilry in those big green eyes faded; silent walls going up as reality closed in on them, but Vin was not going to be shut out before they'd even lain in each other's arms. He dropped down on his knees in front of Chris, one hand reaching out to capture the fingers that had bowed to reality and had started to tug off boots.

"Didn't mean it like that, Cowboy. This means... *you* mean more to me than just a quick tumble in the dirt. And you're right. Been awhile since we saw each other in daylight. Reckon I'm just as eager to see you naked."

The light came back, maybe not as strong as before but at least the wall had been lowered.

Vin gently removed Chris's other boot and then he drew back out of arms reach, shuffling backwards. He sat back on his heels and started working those shirt buttons once more, this time keeping his eyes on Chris. As the first layer was peeled away, Chris moved until he was mirroring Vin's position; on his knees, sitting back on his heels. Vin found his attention wandering constantly between the desire-darkened eyes, the teasing tip of a tongue sliding over those soft lips and the fingers slowly stripping his lover of his clothing.

Chris carried on watching him, his strong white teeth biting into the plump lower lip as Vin revealed the first piece of flesh, sending a wave of desire surging through Vin. He wanted to sink his own teeth into that lip, wanted to sink his whole being into that body. He caught himself, remembering he'd offered Chris the wild ride this time, but next time...

Vin stripped the undershirt from his body, dropping it on top of his shirt and jacket, breath coming hard and fast as he allowed Chris time to map his upper body with eyes almost glazed over with passion. He almost sighed out loud, in relief, when Chris started back on his own strip, desperate for his own eyes to feast on what had only been known by touch alone these last few weeks.

Pale skin was slowly revealed, the curve of pectoral, the ripple of muscle as the undershirt was discarded. Sunlight caught the smattering of dark gold hair in the valley between the pectorals, glinting off the trail of hair journeying south. From memory of touch, Vin knew those hairs slowly gathered strength in numbers, growing dense around the base of the hard shaft whose outline could be seen pressing against the dark pants, stretching the material until Vin was certain it could no longer take the strain and would burst the seams.

Vin raised himself from his heels, almost wishing he had stayed within arms reach so that his fingers could trace the hardened mass at the crotch of those dark pants. Instead, his hands moved to the buttons of his own pants, quickly pushing the buttons through and letting the light, loose material drop. His eyes continued to roam over the whole of his lover's body, darting down constantly, almost afraid to miss the unveiling but Chris made no attempt at undressing any further.

This time Vin kept silent and waited, fingers lightly stroking his own flesh, knowing he would be rewarded with his own show soon enough. He smiled, loving the awed expression that transformed the often-deadpan face into something wondrously alive, and so beautiful. The gentle breeze was stirring the short strands of sun-streaked hair, flicking them across those lust-darkened eyes but Chris made no motion to tame them.

His skin was so sensitive that Vin could feel the light strands of his own wind-swept hair gently lashing across his shoulders and softly whipping his face. He saw Chris start to shuffle, fingers reaching out towards him but he stopped Chris with a single look, the slight rising of eyebrows and the mischievous curl of his smile.

His reward came when Chris took the hint and unbuttoned his tight dark pants, his hardened shaft springing out, tenting the pale pink underwear worn beneath. A circle of material was darkened around the straining head, dampened by evidence of Chris's increasing desire. Vin's body reacted to the sight and smell of his lover, a dewdrop of precome beading only to be smoothed over the head by his own hand.

"You figure we done enough looking for now?"

He knew he could watch Chris all day but, as pleasurable as that might be, he wanted far more. He wanted to touch the soft skin, run his hands along the curves of muscle--and he wanted to feel the hardness filling him and possessing him deeply. Vin pushed up to his feet and stepped out of the remaining clothes, nudging them aside.

"Need a hand there, Cowboy?"

"Nope."

Chris unbuttoned the underwear then wriggled, drawing both the tight pants and the underwear down simultaneously. He sat back and dragged the garments from his lower legs, casting them aside with a flourish, then he leaned back onto his elbows, one knee raised, staring up at Vin. An impish grin formed on his face.

"Thought you said you'd done enough looking for now, Tanner?"

"I's wrong."

The early evening sunlight cast a healthy glow on the pale flesh and reflected back the spun gold in his lover's hair, turning Chris into a living work of art. From the expression on his lover's face, he knew his own body had to be just as pleasing to the eye.

Vin dropped down beside Chris, finally allowing flesh to meet, reveling in the sensation that radiated out from just a simple touch. He trailed one finger through the sparse pale gold hairs from breastbone to just below the ribcage, and then leaned over to kiss the inviting lips. A flush of desire gave additional color to Chris's face, the tip of a tongue caressing those same lips as if to capture the taste of their kiss. Chris lowered himself back to the ground, one arm lying loose by his side while the other snaked around Vin, fingers stroking his sensitive skin, sending new sensations dancing through his body.

A wicked gleam filled the green eyes and, suddenly, Vin found himself rolled onto his back, with Chris on top. He moaned as sharp teeth nipped at his neck, knowing they would leave marks of possession but uncaring. His arms wrapped around the warm frame, dragging Chris down until they were lying chest to chest, hip to hip. His hands ranged down the flanks of his lover's body, palms cupping the firm asscheeks, pulling Chris closer until their hardened shafts lay side-by-side, pulsing together.

Vin drew his legs up, wrapping them around his lover's waist and he sighed when he felt Chris fumbling with the tin he had placed near at hand. Moments later, a grease-slicked finger teased at the opening to his body.

"Yeah, Cowboy."

He groaned, welcoming the intruder as it slipped inside, writhing to encourage the finger to slide in deeper, but wanting far more that a single digit inside him. Chris took his time preparing his lover, and Vin found he was close to begging by the time Chris positioned the head of his shaft against the opening. Despite all the gentleness of preparation, Chris sheathed himself in a single stroke, crying out as slid into the hot, tight channel. Vin welcomed him with a triumphant cry of his own, locking his legs about his lover's waist and arching his back in the hope of taking Chris even deeper.

"Yesss."

This was what he wanted, what he needed. Chris pulled most of the way out then slammed back in, stroking along that special place deep inside, turning Vin's blood to liquid fire, igniting every nerve ending until his senses overloaded and he came hard, seed splattering between their bodies, coating chest and abdomen. Chris thrust once more, deeper than Vin felt he could possibly go, and then froze, pure ecstasy etched across his face as he emptied himself deep inside. A few lighter thrusts followed before Chris collapsed upon him, sweat and spilled seed mingling between their close-pressed bodies.

Vin wrapped his arms around Chris, cradling his lover, hands gently soothing the overheated flesh, wishing he could hold Chris in his arms like this forever. But all too soon, Chris moved, his softened shaft easing from Vin's body before Chris flopped to one side, a forearm draped over his eyes.

The air felt chilled, suddenly, as Vin turned his head to gaze at a man lying by his side who might as well have been a hundred miles away. He lifted a hand, almost touching Chris before his fingers curled away. As he withdrew his hand, another shot out and grabbed the wrist. Chris dragged his forearm back from his eyes and smiled gently, eyes soft with a desire that went behind the flesh.

"Figure we still got a little time left."

Chris drew Vin against him, tucking Vin's head onto his shoulder, lips nuzzling the wild mane of brown hair. They lay together quietly, giving gentle caresses and tender kisses as the sun slowly set.

They dressed in silence, building the walls needed to keep their secret safe for another day.

****

It was late afternoon the next day when Josiah saw riders approaching in the distance, seeing the clouds of dust raised by fast moving horses. He gave a single pull on the bell to warn the others of the imminent arrival. Quickly, he joined the others as they took up a stance, side by side, across the main street, with only one man missing from their number.

Once Vin had made his presence known, the chase was on with Wicks and his men racing after the wagon. Their own horses had been saddled up and left tethered in the alley close by as part of the plan, and Chris and the others raced towards them.

Chris spurred his gelding onwards, fear for Vin filling him as, in the distance he could see the speeding wagon swerve off the track and head over the grassland towards the edge of the mesa. Although he knew Wicks would not be so stupid as to fire on the wagon, in the belief that his girls were inside, his men shot into the air, sending the horses into a panic. Chris breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the horses part company with the wagon before it plummeted off the top of the mesa, hoping Wicks would be too shocked by the seeming death of his girls to go after the driver of that wagon.

The two groups came to a halt at the top, staring down at the broken bodies far below. Although he knew these were mannequins dressed in women's clothing, Chris did not need to pretend anger as he faced down Wicks. His fear of seeing Vin go plunging off that cliff inside that wagon might have been soothed by the sight of Vin riding away between the two horses, but his mind was still churning with what could have been. Hearing Wicks lack of compassion for the women brought that anger to the fore.

"Mister. You better get before I do something I'll regret."

Buck made such a commendable impression of someone so angry that the others had a hard time holding him back, but Wicks ignored him with a sneer, turning his attention back to Chris.

"Glad to put a bullet through you, but I wouldn't waste decent metal on a bunch of whores."

Moments after Wicks had turned and ridden away, Vin came riding up with the team, face full of excitement.

"This job gets better every day."

The others were laughing, pleased with the day's work and Chris dredged a smile up from somewhere deep inside. He hoped that this would be the last they saw of Wicks but, unless Lydia and her girls moved on, sooner or later someone would spot one of them in the town and Wicks would be back. The man had a mean streak a mile wide, and if he learned that the girls were still alive then he might decide it was time to start wasting metal on both bunches of 'whores'.

Night was falling as they rode back into town and Chris hoped Lydia and the others had the good sense to do as he told them, to lie low for a few days until they had decided on their future. It was a sure bet that Mrs. Travis would make their lives difficult if they decided to stay, especially if they turned to the only occupation they knew: whoring.

Once his horse was bedded down for the night, Chris gave Vin a hopeless smile and walked away, wishing he and Vin could spend the night together but knowing he would be expected to defend today's actions to Mrs. Travis instead. If only he could show her that these women were real people, and that they deserved to be treated with some dignity. The idea came to him as he walked towards her Press Office. He would play on her friendship for Nathan and persuade her to take him some breakfast in the morning. If he knew Nathan as well as he thought he did, then he was certain Nathan would find some way to bring her over to Nora. Perhaps, once she realized Nora was little more than a girl then she might find a little compassion in her cold heart.

****

Vin gave a deep, weary sigh as he pushed through the batwing doors. Once the excitement of the day had passed, a heaviness had descended over him. Yesterday had been so good, the feel of Chris's arms about him, the heat in those eyes and the tenderness in each caress. He could no longer feel the ache from where Chris had taken that 'one hell of a ride' and he missed it.

As always, they had taken so little time together, just snatching an hour of passion whenever an opportunity arose.

It was always painful leaving Chris's side when all he wanted to do was snuggle down for the night in his lover's arms. If they had been on the trail then it might have been possible but not here in the town where one of them had to make a regular appearance alone to keep tongues from waggling. Although Chris said he didn't care too much what others thought, he might not be so sure of himself if the townsfolk made them stand trial for sodomy. The humiliation would be more than a proud man like Larabee could take, and the penalty for being found guilty might be far worse than hanging. Vin had heard rumors of men being thrown into prison for sodomy, their crime shouted out to all the inmates, their bodies hauled out after months of sexual abuse had caused them to take their own lives--if the abuse itself hadn't killed them outright.

He'd put a bullet in Chris's head rather than see that happen, and then he'd shoot himself.

With these morbid thoughts running through his mind, Vin approached the bar.

"Keep? One gut warmer."

It was only when he raised the drink to take a sip that he noticed Lydia's reflection in the mirror.

"Don't worry. I'm not working."

"Don't matter to me." _I ain't interested in anyone but Chris_ , he added silently. He half-listened as Lydia thanked him for his help that day, her words jogging his memory. "Shouldn't you be laying low? Somebody could recognize you, tell Wicks."

"Your friend Larabee send you here to say that?

Vin smarted at the inference, a mean smile crossing his face. He was well aware that Chris was better educated than he was, and that Chris could read and write more than just his name, but it didn't mean they were not equals in all other ways. Hell, there were plenty of things he could teach Larabee.

"I look like a messenger boy?"

"Sorry. Mr. Larabee ain't as friendly as he usually is."

Maybe not to you.

Vin hated himself for the cruel thought that swept through his head but, secretly, he was pleased Chris had shown no great favor towards the undeniably pretty woman. Until she turned up in town he had not realized how much he disliked knowing Chris was with another and, at this moment, he could freely admit that he had come to hate the subterfuge as much as Chris did.

"Maybe he don't wanna get caught between you and the town?"

"Mean, between me and Mrs. Travis."

Vin turned away, already aware of the feelings Mrs. Travis had successfully managed to conceal from all but him and this astute young woman. However, if Lydia wanted to believe that Mary Travis was her true rival for Chris's affection, then so be it. He was not going to jeopardize everything he had with Chris in a game of oneupmanship. What was that saying Josiah had come out with one night at the poker table, something about Hell, fury and scorned women: a bad mixture. Made a lot of sense then and now. After a moment, Lydia took the hint that their conversation was now over.

"Tired of making decisions depending on what other people want."

He watched her reflection as she left the saloon, then he downed the last of his whiskey before offering his glass up to the bartender for another shot. He could empathize with her parting words. He did not want to be standing alone at this bar, he wanted to be lying in Chris's arms, hearing that soft voice chuckling as he was mercilessly teased, or hearing Chris's moans of pleasure and contentment as he was mercilessly taken. That was what he wanted but, like Lydia, he had to bow to what other people wanted, in particular, to the same puritanical demands of many of the Townsfolk.

The hour was very late by the time he had finished the second drink, so he made his way over to the livery, preferring to sleep in the hay near his horse rather than in some impersonal boarding room. Vin greeted his horse, blowing gently on his face and accepted the almost affectionate nuzzle in response. He made himself comfortable and closed his eyes, allowing the gentle snuffling of the horses lull him into a land of dreams where he would find Chris waiting for him with open arms and that beautiful smile.

****

Chris had remembered telling Buck, in this very same room that these girls were not his problem, and that Buck should finish what he started but it seemed that, yet again, Buck had gone missing and he was expected to find a solution to their problem. He had to admit that at least it was a more welcome problem than the one they had faced yesterday, and it only involved one of the women.

He had been a little surprised when Lydia approached him this morning asking his advice on where she should go from here. He had thought they had all been tempted by Ezra's plan to turn them from coarse women into genteel housewives.

Chris glanced up and gave a wry grin. At least Vin was willing to help out, although he suspected that Vin might have an ulterior motive for wanting to see Lydia on her way out of town.

Chris glanced up quickly as someone came racing through the batwing doors, half-expecting it to be Buck. He frowned when he recognized the small figure of Nora.

"Lydia. He took Mrs. Travis."

Chris leaned in, catching the distraught girl's attention. "Who?"

"Wicks."

Chris's eyes flicked towards Vin and found him waiting, the blue eyes intensely focused, and Chris could read the same thought that was in his own mind: outside. With a quick nod he acknowledged Vin and together they strode away, leaving Lydia to comfort the younger girl. By the time they reached the street it was obvious that they were too late to go riding after Wicks. The man had made too great a head start and would reach the relative safety of his tent city long before they had gathered everyone, saddled up and ridden even halfway there. A different plan was needed, but they would still need the other five men.

Chris dragged his poncho over his head, uncaring that it was already a little tatty from the last shoot out in town. He left Vin to round up JD, Ezra and Buck while he went to get Josiah and Nathan from the other end of the town. He spotted Nathan through the window of the town's only restaurant, tucking into a large breakfast.

"Nathan? We got trouble... but I reckon it can wait for you to get some food inside you first. Meet up at the livery in fifteen."

Josiah was in the first place Chris looked; sanding down some of the wood in the church. Chris waited only long enough to gain a nod of understanding before leaving both men to get saddled and ready to ride.

As he strode back along the main street Chris caught up with Vin who had yet to track down Ezra, and quickly, he fell in step behind the younger man. When Lydia came out of the saloon, almost demanding that she go along with them to help free Mrs. Travis, Chris was adamant that she stay behind, unwilling to even contemplate taking her along. He had enough to deal with already without worrying about her as well. When Vin stopped between buildings and looked up, Chris came to a halt beside him, barely giving Ezra a second glance as more important thoughts crashed around his mind.

"You know, if we go in there, all spit and vinegar, there's a good chance she'll get hurt."

"Yeah. What we need is some sort of..."

With a great deal of difficulty, Chris pulled his gaze away from the handsome profile, his eyes looking back up the stairway to where Ezra was giving the girls a lesson in deportment.

"...distraction. Walks awful graceful, don't he?"

Chris grinned, wondering if he ever ought to mention this thing Vin had about dressing objects--and now people--in women's clothes, but then he decided that he really didn't care as long as Vin never took to putting on a dress, or tried to persuade him to do so.

Now Ezra? Well, that was a different matter, and Chris wondered who was going to break the news to the suddenly wary looking man.

****

They moved into the town from different directions, looking like a group of trail-weary cowboys looking only to get laid and drunk, though not necessarily in that order. No one took any notice of them as they mingled in the crowds of men who were either already drinking or who were wandering among the tents looking for something special they might have missed in the saloon tent.

Vin sneaked up behind a guard, recognizing him as one of the men who had come into the town that first day. He pressed the mare's leg into the man's back, took the gun from the relaxed fingers and then pushed the man into the tent where he was quickly put out of commission. When he came back outside he saw Josiah dealing with his own problem in that unique way of his before dragging the now unconscious guard into a nearby tent. Vin glanced around, wanting to check that everyone was where they were supposed to be.

He tried to give a warning to Buck when he saw Buck was about to step right into the muzzle end of a rifle but, fortunately, Nathan saw Vin's frantic gesture and was close at hand to deal with the rifleman before things turned ugly.

Although he had never been to Wicks Town before today, Vin had a good idea which of the tents would be Wicks; the largest, most ostentatious looking. Moments later he saw his lover's familiar figure disabling the guard and enter that very tent, giving him the needed confirmation. Vin waited patiently, concerned that he had not seen Wicks anywhere, silently chewing his lower lip when he saw Chris come out of the tent with Mrs. Travis wrapped around him. He spotted Wicks too late as the large man stepped out from behind the tent flap, standing between him and Chris. Swiftly and silently, Vin raced across the tent city, his sharp hearing catching the words that Wicks sent to Chris.

"Welcome back to Wicks Town. This is almost too easy."

Vin carried on forward, damning himself for not seeing the trap even though he had been watching for it. Everything appeared to be happening in slow motion, the distance between him and Chris seemed to take forever to cross and he could see Wicks changing his stance as his finger tightened on the trigger of the gun pointed at Chris. He cursed himself for not bringing the rifle, deciding he would have to take a chance using the mare's leg and hope Chris and Mary were not caught in the scatter. Another figure moved between him and Wicks, spoiling what little shot he had: Lydia.

The retort of a gun filled the air, followed by a cry of pain. Another retort, another cry but Vin knew his lover's voice, knew this was Wicks and not Chris crying out in pain. He could see the large figure tumbling to the dirt and, finally, as Vin reached the group, his heart starting to beat evenly again when he realized Chris was all right.

Chris caught Vin's eye after he had taken the loaded gun from Lydia's frozen figure, offering his lover some reassurance, and Vin acknowledged him with a swift nod before turning his attention to the silent men surrounding them; prepared in case any decided to take revenge for the death of their boss. He glanced across quickly, seeing Chris turn away with Mary, Lydia and the others, wanting to get them all out of there and, in doing so he missed the slight movement from Wicks.

They all spun around as a single shot echoed in the silent city, and Vin was almost stunned by the knowledge that, despite two bullets in the back, Wicks had not only been alive but still capable of turning and aiming at Chris's vulnerable back. Vin had seen the heat of anger on Buck's normally affable face, but never had he seen such cold fury.

As they made their way back to the horses, Vin found he had gained even greater respect for Chris's oldest friend and an unspoken debt of gratitude for Buck's speed with a gun.

****

_Epilogue:_

The stars were beautiful tonight and there was no moon to pale their brilliance. They sat, side by side, near the top of the mesa, wrapped in warm layers to keep out the night chills, and gazed out across the plain.

Wicks Town was gone, unable to survive once Wicks' vile claim on the working girls had ended with his life. They had scattered in all directions, looking for the good life that Wicks had cruelly promised and then taken away. If they were lucky, and smart, they would find a good man and settle down, try to put the past behind them. However, Chris had no doubt most would fall back on the trade Wicks had taught them, and would find themselves working in some saloon or brothel. With good fortune, this time they'd get to keep most of the money they earned, perhaps slowly buy themselves back the life they wanted, though it was doubtful.

He remembered his words to Mrs. Travis some weeks back, after the Judge was shot. He had told her to go back where she belonged, that this town, and the frontier, was no fit place for a woman. He hoped some of those women had the good sense to see that for themselves and go back home. Again, he doubted it.

For a brief moment he thought about Lydia. She had saved his life back at Wicks Town and, though he could never truly repay that debt, he hoped the few dollars he had forced her to take from him would be enough to keep the girls safe until they set themselves up.

"Gave them dollars too. Figured they needed them more than me."

Chris turned and looked at Vin, smiling gently, always amazed at how Vin seemed to read his thoughts.

"Hell. Just hope they don't go telling, or the whole territory will be rushing here thinking we're a soft touch."

"Ain't you, though?"

"Only for you, Vin."

"Yeah... so that's why you gave me the night watch at the jail."

Chris chuckled at the sarcasm. "You'll be grateful later. Gonna be a cold night. You might even decide to stay there, bunk down in one of those empty cells."

"Any reason why I might wanna do that?"

"I take over the watch from you... round two in the morning."

"Damn, Larabee. They catch us at it there and they won't have much of a chore locking us up."

Chris started to laugh. "Hell, Tanner. Who said anything about doing it? Just figured it'd give you the chance for some shut-eye, with someone there to watch your back. Though now you gone and mentioned it..."

Vin shook his head and laughed softly, and Chris was pleased he'd managed to draw Vin away from whatever memory or thought had caused his bleak mood. There were plenty of occasions when they needed to keep those walls high around their silent world but this wasn't one of them.

For a moment he wondered if it was the imminent arrival of Judge Travis that had caused the bleakness. Certainly, Chris had never truly expected to enjoy the job he had taken on in this town but, now that it was almost over, he wished he could stay a little longer. Perhaps he would even put in a claim for that piece of land he'd come across not too far south of the town. It had felt good to stop traveling for a while, and it had allowed him time to remember what it was like to have some place he could call home. Only problem was Vin. Once they had cleared his name, would he want to come back to a small frontier's town like this?

Of course, there was no need for them to return here as lawkeepers. They could just set up on that piece of land, and come into town only when low on supplies. It still wasn't that unusual for men to set up together on the frontier where there were few women to be found.

Vin stretched and then stood up, and Chris knew that this stolen hour had come to an end.

"Figure I'll get myself something to eat before I head on over to the jail." Vin looked down at Chris, the blue of his eyes lost in the darkness of night and yet Chris could feel the warmth in his gaze. "You coming?"

"Yeah." _Where you lead, I shall follow_ , he intoned silently, then pushed himself up from the ground and followed Vin to where the horses were waiting patiently for their return.

THE END


End file.
